an engine cycle used on four-stroke petrol engines (Otto engines) in which, ideally, combustion and rejection of heat both take place at constant volume
Compare diesel cycle
Word origin
C19: named after Nikolaus August Otto (1832–91), German engineer
Otto cycle in Automotive Engineering
(ɒtoʊ saɪkəl)
noun
(Automotive engineering: Vehicle components, Engine, transmission, and exhaust)
The Otto cycle is a cycle of engine operation which requires four strokes of the piston: for induction, compression, ignition, and exhaust. The fuel and air mixture is compressed before combustion is started by an electrical spark or other means.
Named after German engineer Nikolaus Otto
The reciprocating engine operates on the Otto cycle which is a constant volume cycle.
The Otto cycle is the dominant car-engine combustion process of the last century.
A car engine is a heat engine that uses the thermodynamic Otto cycle to generate power.